WHO Registers Over 25,000 Mpox Cases in Africa in 2024
10:41 21.09.2024 (Updated: 14:12 23.09.2024)
© AP Photo / Moses Sawasawa
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MOSCOW (Sputnik) - In mid-August, World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared the mpox outbreak in Africa a public health emergency of international concern.
Over 25,000 suspected and confirmed mpox cases were registered across the African continent between January 1 and September 8, causing 732 deaths, WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris said on Friday.
"We have 25,093 suspected mpox cases from January 1 to September 8, 2024, and these include both tested and untested cases ... And among those suspected cases, we have had 723 deaths," Harris told a briefing in Geneva.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo tops the list of African countries that reported the largest numbers of potential mpox cases in 2024 with 21,835 suspected cases and 717 deaths, followed by Burundi with 1,498 suspected cases and no deaths, the spokesperson said. Nigeria ranks third with 935 suspected cases and no deaths as well, she added.
Mpox, also known as monkeypox, is a rare infectious disease that is also transmitted between people. It is usually a mild disease that most people recover from within a few weeks, but some may have complications. The initial symptoms of mpox include fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, enlarged lymph nodes, chills, and exhaustion. A rash may develop, often starting on the face and then spreading to other parts of the body.
